This invention relates to a normal and abnormal condition indicating device and more particularly to an improved and simplified warning arrangement for a vehicle such as an automobile.
The use of electrical and electronic components in vehicles such as automobiles has been increasing significantly in recent years. Functions performed previously by mechanical devices are, oftentimes, now achieved electrically. Many of the electrically operated devices include electromagnetic relays, control circuits including electronic circuits and data processing units. Furthermore, many of the devices are automatically controlled and thus employ also detector circuits. The growing electrical complexity of automobiles has created a demand for failure indicating devices. It has been proposed, in many automobiles, to use a variety of failure indicators that are displayed on the instrument panel so that the operator may immediately discern a malfunction. However, the extremely complex nature of the various electrical circuits in an automobile make it difficult to provide meaningful dashboard indication of all situations. That is, the number of circuits which should be monitored are so great in number that it would be impossible for an operator to discern all of the possible failures from dashboard indicators.
In addition to these problems in connection with dashboard failure indicators, the use of an indicator on the dashboard to indicate each electrical malfunction still further adds to the complexity of the electrical system since wires must be provided to convey the signal to an indicator located on the dashboard.
It is, therefore, a principal object of this invention to provide an improved and simplified failure indicating device.
It is another object of this invention to provide an improved and simplified failure indicating system for an automobile.